Question for snake keepers?

Question

Do you think it should be much harder to get large snakes, like boa constrictors? I feel it should be illegal (or at the very least strictly controlled) to keep such dangerous animals. most people that get them don't seem to be able to cope with the huge size they get. proof of this is in florida where there is now a breeding boa constrictor population just from the pets people have released. what do you think about this problem? thanks for your opinions.

oops...wrong species of snake...but either way...
pythons then...lol

sorry i miss typed boa constrictor...i meant python...:)

Answer 1

Yes, I agree with "(or at the very least strictly controlled)". I am from Florida and I am aware of this problem. Burmese pythons grow very quickly and, like all pythons and large boas, are high maintenance pets. Most keepers do not provide large enough enclosures nor do they handle their snakes enough (causing the snakes to become more aggressive).

What really amazes me is that pet stores, zoos, breeders, and so on all need permits, but private keepers do not. The Fish and Game dept. needs to get together with the environmental branch of the local government and establish restrictions on keeping snakes that can grow over a certain length. It's all fine and dandy when these snake are babies or up to say, six or seven feet. For a private keeper, I think that in order to get a permit, the enclosure should be inspected for suitability by the proper authorities. I think that certain smaller boas and pythons, such as the ball python, Haitian ground boa, rosy boa, and so on could be exempt from permit requirements. I can't believe that more hasn't been done to stop this growing problem.

Go to any zoo in Florida with a large boa or python and chances they will turn you away. They just can't take anymore. Well I could go on and on about the consequences of releasing large snakes into a foreign habitat, but anyone that knows anything about biology, herpetology, ecosystem maintenance, or just has good old fashion common sense knows already. I love snakes, and its a shame that this situation is getting way out of hand.

Additional points to consider after reading some of the posts.

Red tailed boas do not get that big in comparison to reticulated or Burmese python, and I personally don't think they fall into the measures to consider above. Another thing is that they are very prone to ticks, and don't last long once released. The main problem is the large python species, and I don't think it should be illegal, but controlled.

All readers please note: You must have a title and registration to own a car, and a liscence to drive it. You must have a permit to own an alligator or any species of venomous snake. You need a land permit and a water permit (among others) to build a house. You need permits and tags of various sorts for recreational and commercial water crafts. You need a permit to keep any endangered species. You need a fishing liscence if you are over sixteen. You need a permit to own a gun. There are permits and lisences for food handling (not only in restaurants, but anything that will be for public consumption.There are permits and lisences for just about everything. Like I said, the authorities should take some measures. You should need a permit to own one of the large species. And for all the responsible owners of large snakes, this would benefit you. Permits should be issued to proposed keepers after the authorities have inspected the enclosure to be used, and a written test (similar to a written driver's liscence test) must be passed.

I know many people that keep these snakes responsibly (I used to) but the irresponsible and uneducated outnumber them. If I were ever to keep a large python again, I would gladly support issuing permits. I know my enclosure would be safe and large enough, and I am educated about care and responsibility. I would be happy to see people get turned down for lack of responsiblity or education. And yes, the first step to take is educating people. I got a couple of my large snakes from people that were going to release them because they didn't know what they were getting into when they bought them. I used to take my reptiles to public and private schools as well as various events (by invitation) to educate people. These snakes should be registered with authorites.

Think about it, when you were born, (At least in the U.S) a birth certificate was issued and soon after, a social security card. Why not for a snake that can eat a child? I'm all for issuing permits, and yes, the government should take the measures neccessary (in conjunction with zoologists or herpetologists) for education, and inspection before issuing. I would feel honored to hold a permit, and there would be a major decrease in irresponsible keeping and releasing of these snakes.

And one more thing (yeah, I know ENOUGH E.G.). In response to another post. I had a Florida king snake (captive bred) for about three years. She was one of the most docile snakes I ever had (out of hundreds over the years).During this time, she grew from 4' to '6' and I used to wrap her around my neck out in public. She enjoyed the warmth and didn't move much. I already had twenty years experience in handling wild and captive snakes. I was in my late twenties and was at a beach party when her tail got tangled in my hair (down to my waist at the time) and she began to reposition herself. While doing this she got her head and forbody even more tangled and was starting to choke me (not intentionally). It took two people over twenty minutes to get her out, all the while I was close to being restricted to death. I wiggled my forefingers under her on both sides of my Adam's apple, and was still not breathing well. My friends were ready to cut my hair or get me to an emergency room, others just wanted to cut the snake off. We finally got her off, but my neck was red for three days after. I almost died from a freak accident. Neither I nor the snake was to blame. Imagine what would have happened should this have happened to a six year old girl. Just another point to consider.

Answer 2

I agree that the sale and keeping of large, potentially dangerous reptiles should be regulated. Every day there's some idiot on here saying, "I just got a Savannah Monitor from the pet store, can it live in a ten gallon aquarium, what does it eat??" Or some similar stupid question that just shows how easy it is for any idiot to get any reptile. Snakes that grow to 10+ feet in length, monitors, even iguanas, simply SHOULD NOT be available to just anyone, I don't care if you've raised 700 of them and they've all been gentle as kittens, the fact is that the majority of reptile owners are not repsonsible, knowledgeable keepers.

Most people don't do the homework required when getting a pet. When their retic grows past eight feet, they're completely shocked to realize that it won't even fit in that 50-gal aquarium they bought when it was tiny! They are totally surprised when their once-adorable monitor slices them open with its claws and they have to go to the emergency room! They dangle a mouse by hand in front of their Burmese Python can't believe it when the snake accidently strikes their hand and begins to constrict their arm! Also, large reptiles need LARGE (and often elaborate) enclosures, but since they all start off small and cute, the general populus assumes that they will stay that way. Realistically, most people do not have the space, time, or money to devote to a large reptile, and so I do not think they should be so readily available. I don't necessarily think they should be illegal, but the market needs to be controlled in some manner. The problem is that it would be pretty much impossible to enforce such laws since reptiles are generally kept inside the home, not visible to neighbors or law enforcement.

I could write a ten-page essay on the release of captive-bred reptiles into the wild, but I'll spare you that and just say that it's devastating to the natural wildlife and just proves how truly irresponsible most reptile owners (and humans in general) are.

Answer 3

In more and more places, they keeping of such large snakes such as Burmese Pythons and Reticulated Pythons are being regulated and/or prohibited. I don't think total prohibition of these animals is the answer, I think it should be the same as in the cases where the keeping of hots (venomous snakes) where certain conditions and standards have to be met before you are allowed to own such animals.

I think that some of the breeders are in part to blame, it makes me cringe every time I see them selling that cute little baby Burmese to the 15 year old kid at the herp show....we as breeders have to be responsible for finding the proper homes for these animals as much as we can, or face them being restricted into oblivion.

And of course, part of the problem is also the misinformation that is out in the general public. Not to pick on the "asker" here at all......but people start talking about the "huge feral boa constrictor population" in Florida, and the next thing you know, the word travels and people are crying out to ban Boas.....when it's Burmese that are establishing feral populations, only because of the uneducated owners who let them free.....but a snake is a snake, right?

Long winded story short......education is the key, not "banning", IMO.

Answer 4

1. Racks or cages? * I have both. Babies in racks, juvies and up in cages. The exception to this is baby colubrids, which I keep in Kritter Keepers because they are literally escape proof. 2. Live, P/K, F/T? * I feed F/T exclusively. I value each of my animals and don't want injury or parasites. 3. Mice or rats? * It depends on the snake. Pink mice for the little guys and rats for everything as soon as they are large enough. Rats are more nutritious. I'm also considering piglets for the largest boa that I have and the retics when they are big enough. 4. Back heat or bottom heat? * Racks have back heat, though I'm seriously considering the next build with belly heat. Cages are a mix. Some have heat tape, some have Radiant Heat Panels. It depends on what the cage is made of. 5. Keeping snakes together? * Absolutely not. Nothing good can come of it. 6. Feed inside cage or outside? * Inside cage. There is no compelling reason not to and every reason to do so. Would you want to move 8 1/2 feet of food crazed boa back to its home cage? I have. That convinced me I did not want to do this. 7. Handle frequently or infrequently? * Some get handled rather frequently, some don't. I have my favorites...what can I say? 8. Do snakes have emotions or not? * Not a bit. They understand hot, cold, hurt, hungry, safe - yes / safe - no and ready to breed. That's about it. 9. Pet store or breeder? * Breeder. It is a real crap shoot to get a healthy animal from a pet store. Buy from a reputable breeder where you can know the genetic background of your snake and get "after the sale" support from someone who knows what they are talking about. 10. Under-tank heater or heat lamp? * I'm assuming you mean for an aquarium type cage here. Hands down, the under tank heater is the heat of choice. It does not dry the cage like a heat lamp, is safer and less expensive in the long run. The same goes for heat emitters. They dry the cage and are not as safe as UTH pads.

Answer 5

No it should not be illegal. Boa constrictors are not dangerous.
However, I do agree that most people should probably not keep ANY reptile or amphibian. Not because the animals are dangerous, but because people are so incredibly ignorant about these animals. Peruse a few of the questions and answers on here and you'll see what I mean. People refuse to research the needs of the animal, instead they come to Yahoo answers expecting to be spoonfed simple solutions to complex problems.
However, there are many things people have that, in some way, they misuse or abuse. We generally don't outlaw things for those sorts of reasons, and I don't believe that responsible reptile keepers should be punished for the actions of the irresponsible few that release Burmese pythons (not boa constrictors) into the Everglades.

Answer 6

People crack me up. ANY snake capable of wrapping itself around your neck can kill you, and if you think you can stop it, you're kidding yourself. BURMESE PYTHONS CAN AND WILL KILL PEOPLE.

Banning? No. I disagree with that. But I DO think that any potential snake owner should have to take a class or something and be licensed. Hell, any animal owner for that matter. Now THAT would cut down on "domestic" animals being set free in the wild. Obviously, it wouldn't fix the problem, but it would certainly curb it some. I think if the big chain pet stores, for example, brought out an adult burm to show how big these babies can really get... you get the picture. Better yet, FEED an adult burm in front of these people. Yep. That'd send a good number of 'em runnin. "OMG are they really going to give it a fuzzy cuddly bunny?"

I love wake-up calls.

Answer 7

I don't think it should be illegal to own large pythons, I have several friends who are very responsible keepers, and we've used a couple of the pythons for educational shows.

I DO think that it should be a little harder to get them. Reptile swaps/expos where you can buy straight from a dealer/breeder are fine, but I DON'T think a run-of-the-mill pet shop should sell snakes that can get to potentially unmanageable sizes. More idiots frequent pet shops than specialized expos, and breeders are probably (well, hopefully) going to be more responsible about controlling who buys their animals. I work at a pet store and HATE selling "cute" little baby burms and retics to people who obviously don't know what they're getting into. I usually try to talk them out of it...

Answer 8

Snakes can be dangerous and shouldn't be owned by a lot of people but the government should not control who owns what and why. **** happens as the saying goes... deal with it and take care of your own life and your own reptiles. Stop trying to control what happens to the rest because you can't, no matter what law is passed!

...And what happens to those snakes that were bought as pets young and then gotten rid of? Is there to be a government agency to tend to the lost and abandoned snakes?

Events wherein snakes injure or kill people is not reason enough to create new laws to control things when the government can't control the much more common situations at hand.

Answer 9

Well, as you can see from my name, I am a snake keeper.

I completely agree with you. Most people get large snakes and have no idea how to look after them. People also have no idea of the strength a large snake possesses.

Big snakes kill people.

Not to mention how EXTREMEMLY UNFAIR it is to the snake to keep one in captivity. Keeping them in respectable zoos is one thing, but keeping one or more in your home is so unhumane.

I would never own something that could kill me. A snake may be tame for years but then they can turn on a dime and strike you. They are wild animals and that can't be changed or bred out of them.

You're right. There should be laws but even more so, those laws need to be enforced.

Answer 10

i dont know if i agree, my dad breeds of brazilian rainbow boas (get to be about 5-6 feet long). i know those arent too big, but he also breeds columbian red tail boas (8-11 feet). we also had an albino burmese python. though these snakes may seem extremly large to those who arent used to them, they are not capable of seriously injuring let alone killing a human. however, people who keep anacondas illegally and other EXTREMELY large snakes, are not the smartest crayons in the box, now are they? that is not smart and those animals ARE capable of killing humans.

Answer 11

i wouldnt say most reptile keepers dont have enought experience to keep them. i know alot of people that keep large snakes and never had a problem. i keep some large snakes and venomous snakes too, its all about experience and if your read for it or not.

dogs hurt more people then snakes so should dogs be banned too ?